Lawyers for Liberty once again calls upon Prime Minister Najib Razak not to dilute the protection that international law accords to refugees. With the purported agenda of busting people smuggling and combating human trafficking, the Malaysian Government, has reiterated its determination to revive the scandalous refugee swap deal despite the Australian High Court’s finding which…

I refer to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s statement in the Dewan Rakyat today that the two new laws intended to replace the ISA will ” provide a balance between civil liberties and safeguarding public order.” This is a hollow and misleading statement designed to persuade the people of this country that detention without trial…

Overnight Vigil: A Journey to Freedom – Free the EO 6 31 July will mark the 30th day of the EO6’s detention without trial. The 30th day is crucial as the police is legally bound to inform the Home Minister the circumstances of the detention and he can either release them unconditionally, conditionally or detain…

Protests in Malaysia over asylum swap deal Lawyers and activists in Malaysia accuse Australia of being irresponsible in sending asylum-seekers to Malaysia. http://www.sbs.com.au/news/radio/episode/179661/Protests-in-Malaysia-over-asylum-swap-deal Activists protest outside the venue of the signing ceremony of on agreement on transfer and resettlement in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 25 July 2011. AAP (AAP) Under a deal signed on Monday, Malaysia…

In May, Australia and Malaysia announced an agreement to transfer up to 800 asylum seekers in Australia to Malaysia while their asylum claims are processed by the United Nations’ refugee agency, the UNHCR. The announcement declared, among others, that the “transferees will not receive any preferential treatment over asylum seekers already in Malaysia.” In return,…

On 7 July 2011, while I was lazing around at home after work, I got a call from my friend, N Surendran saying that my name was on the list of 91 individuals who were restricted from entering Kuala Lumpur on 9 July 2011. Nothing surprising. It was just that I couldn’t wrap my mind…

LFL Rantings The police deliberately shot at least a dozen tear gas canisters into a small crowd of Bersih/Pakatan leaders and supporters which included Ambiga, Pak Samad, Maria Chin, Anwar, Kit Siang and Hadi Awang at the Sentral Station underpass in Brickfield. They were blocked and led into a trap, surrounded on both exits in…

LFL Rantings: Despite offering a major compromise to hold the Bersih rally at Stadium Merdeka, the authorities especially the Home Minister, AG’s Chambers and police have snubbed Bersih’s offer in good faith and instead maintained that Bersih is still “illegal”, continuing with the harassment, arrest, detention and criminal charge of those affiliated to Bersih, and…